Panel mounted light socket



E VALITES 2,620,375

PANEL MOUNTED LIGHT SOCKET Flled July 8 1947 [Tu/enl f" Kai ward Val Lies Patented Dec. 2, 1952 PANEL MOUNTED LIGHT SOCKET Edward Valites,Muskegon, Mich, assignor to Borg-Warner Corporation, Chicago, Ill.,acorporation of Illinois Application July 8, 1947, Serial No. 759,613

(on. na-339) 2 Claims. 1

This invention relates in general to electrical devices and isparticularly concerned with improvements in connections between lightreflectors and light sockets adaptable for employment in electricalappliances, such as, for example, refrigerators, stoves, etc.,particularly where quick and easy assembly is paramount and where,because of limited working space, conventional tools could not beemployed.

Accordingly, an important object and accomplishment of the invention isto provide a reflector and light socket connection which may beadvantageously assembled, quickly and easily, without necessitating anytools.-

The invention seeks, as a further object and accomplishment to provide areflector and light socket connection as contemplated herein andcharacterized by an arrangement of parts to more advantageously andsatisfactorily perform the functionrequired of it and adapted to'providea compact unit which will successfully combine the factors of structuralsimplicity and durability, and yet be economical to manufacture.

Another object and accomplishment of the invention is to improve theconstruction of reflector and light socket connections as hereincontemplated with respect to increasing the efiiciency thereof inassembly and disassembly; andto this end, an important feature of theinvention is to provide a reflector and light socket connectionadvantageously employing principles and structure whereby the reflectoris provided with an opening adaptable to receive a light socket formedof a suitable pliable material to define a substantially circular shapeand having an annular groove adjacent the end thereof, said openinghaving a slot provided with "an edge which, when the light socket isbeing connected to the reflector, is adaptable to be received into theannular groove and thereafter, upon turning the socket as if thethreaded top of a fruit jar were being screwed onto a. fruit jar, thesocket will assume its operative position in assembled relationship withthe reflector.

Additional objects, features, and advantages of the invention disclosedherein will be apparent to persons skilled in the art after theconstruction and operation are understood from the within description.

, It is preferred to accomplish the various objects of this inventionand to practice the same in substantially the manner hereinafter fullydescribed and as more particularly pointed out in the appended claims,reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part ofthis specification, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the reflector and light socketconnection embodying the features of the invention contemplated hereinand having portions thereof shown in section to better illustrate theconstruction thereof;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the reflector and light socketconnection depicted in Fig. 1 and being taken substantially on the planeof the line 2--2 in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the reflector and light socketconnection depicted in Fig. 1 and illustrating the manner of startingthe assembly of the two elements.

The drawing is to be understood as being more or less of a schematiccharacter for the purpose of illustrating and disclosing atypical orpreferred form of the improvements contemplated herein, and in thedrawing like reference characters identify the same parts in the severalviews.

Referring to the drawing, particularly Figs. 1 and 2, I have illustratedthe reflector and light socket connection with which the presentinvention is particularly concerned and which is designated in itsentirety by the numeral 20, as being adjunctively employed, for example,to a suitable conventional light reflector designated in its entirety bythe letter A, and its associated suitable conventional light socketdesignated in its entirety by the numeral B. The reflector A may be ofany suitable design or shape adaptable for the purposes intended, suchas, for example, for quick and convenient installation in electricalappliances, refrigerators and stoves, etc.

Sufiice it to say, since the invention is not particularly concernedwith the precise construction of the illustrated reflector or lightsocket and their associated parts, they will not be further described indetail except where such construction concerns the present invention,and it is deemed sufiicient for all intents and purposes hereincontained to show only portions thereof adjacent to and cooperating withthe reflector and light socket connection proper. It is to be understoodthat details of construction of such reflectors and light socketsillustrated herein may be modified to suit particular conditions, andmay, in some instances, be other types of reflectors or light sockets,and I donot wish to be limited to the construction of these elements asset forth where such construction does not relate to or have a bearingon the present invention.

Having thus described by way of example, one possible adaptation of thereflector and light socket connection as contemplated herein, and havingdescribed the general environment surrounding said one adaptation, thespecific construction and cooperating functions of the parts of saidreflector and light socket connection with V which the present inventionis particularly concerned, will now be described in detail.

In the exemplary embodiment of'the invention depicted in Figs. 1, 2,and-3,- the reflectorand light socket connection 20, in general,comprises a substantially circular aperture'. 21' dis.-

posed in a wall 22 of the reflector A, said aperture being providedwitha slot 23 opening into said aperture and defining side edges 24 and25 whose important cooperative function-in: connection with thisinvention will be hereinafter described, said aperture being adaptableto receivethe light socket B which is of 'a-substantially circular shapecomplementary to said'aperture and formed of a suitable pliable materialto define an annular groove 26' adjacent the end thereof, which groovein assembly is adaptable to receive portions of the reflector A,specifically.

portions of the slot 24'as shown in Fig. 3, whereupon the socket may berotatedto cause marginal portions of said aperture to be received' intosaid annular groove, whereby the light socket will assume its assembledposition with'respect to the reflector as shown.

Preferably, the reflector A is formed of a metal and is suitably paintedin order'to eifec-- tively reflect light. It is notable that thereflector and light socket connection ofthe present invention may beadvantageously assembledwithout tools, thereby preventing the paint ofthe reflector from being chipped off, which may happen when employingtools to force or wedge'the light socket into theaperture- 2 I.

The light socket B preferably is formed of a pliable material such as,for example, rubber,

pliable plastic, semi-flexible molded Vinylite. In-

accordance with the construction of the present invention, the lightsocket-B is provided'witha conventional threaded metallic insertadaptable to receive threaded portions of aconventional light bulbdesignated by the letter C;

The connection for reflector andlight'sockets: contemplated herein maybe eifected'asfollows: When it is desired to connectthe light socket Bto the reflector A, the-light socket Bis placed in the position as shownin Fig; 3.- It can: be seen that portionsof' the edge 24 o-f1the slot23; are received into the annular groove- 26 01? the light socket Band'thereafter, upon turning the light; socket B as if the threaded-topof a fruit-jar were being screwed onto a fruit jar, thelight' socket Bwill assume its operative position in assembled relationship withthe-reflector. This: action will cause the annularigroovecfii to; have.received into it; marginalportions-oii thee aperture 2| as shown inFigs. I and-:2: Thus; itrmay; be observed that the formation of-therslot23: and its placement in the respective positiomas, shownv effectivelycooperates with.- the-annular, groove 26 to advantageously guide theflange 2T 4 through the aperture 2! in a manner so that the light socketB may be quickly and conveniently connected to the reflector A, ashereinbefore described, without necessitating the employment of tools.The importance of this feature of the invention will be readily apparentto those persons skilled in the art, particularly where the reflectorand light socket connection contemplated herein is employed inelectrical appliances such as, for example, refrigerators, stoves, etc.,and even more particularly where quick and easy assembly is paramountand where, because of limited working space, jconyentional; tools couldnot be employed.

It is notable that the reflector and light socket connectioncontemplated herein may be advantageously employed in mass productionmanufacture where such quick and convenient assembly: of these elementsis a very important factorrin determining the cost thereof.

From the foregoing disclosure it can be observed-"that Lhave provided areflector and light socket connection which efiiciently fulfills theobjects thereof as hereinbefore set forth and provides numerousadvantages which may be summarized as follows:

1'-Structurally simple, efficient and: durable:- 2-Economical tomanufacture and." readily;

adaptable to mass: production manufacturing,

principles; and

3-The provision, ofra reflector and lightjsocketz connectionadvantageously employing. principles;

whereby such'elementsmay be quickly and-cone veniently assembled withoutnecessitating, the. employmentrof tools...

While I have illustrated. a preferred embodi, ment of my inventiommanymodifi'cationsmay.

be made without departing. from; thexspirit" off the invention,and'iIidonot'wish'to'be limited to the precise details: of:constructionzset forth, butiwish to availmyself'of'all changesjwithinthe scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination :with a panelahavingianaperturetherein with a slotopening 'thereinto; a; lamp socket member comprising a'hollowrcylindrical body ofdistortable :elastic: material. having alarger" diameter. than. said aperture: and;

engaged in surface contact with the region of:

the panel surrounding said aperture, thereby providing the sole meansfor retaining-said body in said panel apertu-reand 'to preventlongitudi' nal" movement of the-body with respect' to the panel."

2." In a light socket connection, alight socket member comprising ahollow cylindrical may of distortable elastic material withacontinuousannular groove adjacent one end thereof to -de-- fine, aradial end rim; a panel having: means "dc"- fining a substantiallycircular 'aperturejand'hav ing means defining a slot; opening intosaildap erture; both of said means being 'diSPOSBdjiIl' the same plane,said socket member?being-assembled" insaid panel by a connection madeby-"the mar ginal "portions of said aperture being "received in said.continuous annular groove; said" aperture and an edge of" said' slot"defining a-junction which cooperates with said continuous annular groovein making said connection between said socket member and said panel toeffect receipt of all the marginal portions of said aperture into saidgroove responsive to manual rotation of said 5 socket member, saidsocket member being of a larger diameter than said aperture so that saidgroove and said aperture provide the sole means for retaining saidsocket in said panel and prevent longitudinal movement of said socketwith 10 respect to said panel. EDWARD VALITES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 15 fileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Freeman Jan. 18, 1910 Gurke May9, 1922 Dunham Aug. 6, 1929 Parmele Feb. 10, 1931 Wiley Mar. 8, 1932Gober Apr. 20, 1937 De Reamer Mar. 28, 1939 Watts July 8, 1941 HeymanApr. 9, 1946

